Dion!?
From the comfort of my war room, I believed it would be Iggy. Then Bob supports no one (not a gentlemanly move, but a move motivated by the fact that he absolutely must stay in the party and remain prominent if he hopes to pay off his enormous debt, which is to his brother but which he is legally obligated to repay through donations, no more than $5400 per person, and so therefore cannot afford to be wrong).
But the floor likes Dion. I have my concerns, from an electoral perspective, but I have said before and will say again that winnability is crap, and that if we are not to be a party of power-hungry robots we have to pick based on what we believe in our hearts is right, and not what we believe in our minds will win pluralities in a majority of ridings.
I am obviously for renewal, since am for Gerard. Dion is the only other top candidate that is not powered by the old guard and/or old back-room. He also has a solid policy platform that I agree with (e.g. on the environment, and e.g.2 not on Iraq or torture) .
I think I could be satisfied with that. I might even put on a green scarf.
But the floor likes Dion. I have my concerns, from an electoral perspective, but I have said before and will say again that winnability is crap, and that if we are not to be a party of power-hungry robots we have to pick based on what we believe in our hearts is right, and not what we believe in our minds will win pluralities in a majority of ridings.
I am obviously for renewal, since am for Gerard. Dion is the only other top candidate that is not powered by the old guard and/or old back-room. He also has a solid policy platform that I agree with (e.g. on the environment, and e.g.2 not on Iraq or torture) .
I think I could be satisfied with that. I might even put on a green scarf.
posted by Gavin Magrath at 12/02/2006 04:24:00 PM
1 Comments:
I thought Rae's not publicly endorsing anyone was absolutely gentlemanly and the right thing to do!!
It was no secret that Bob wanted to beat the pants off Iggy - and possibly vice versa - so naturally he wasn't going to endorse him!
It would also have been mean-spirited and divisive if he had endorsed Dion and thumbed his nose at his old room-mate.
It would also have killed any chance he'd have had at a cabinet or other plum position.
Apart from that, it was the right thing to do. Delegates were legally free to go where they wanted, and were familiar enough with the candidates and the issues to make up their own minds.
I was particularly happy that the young and/or no-name delgates made up their own minds who they thought was best for the party and, more importantly, the country - rather than letting the "grown-ups" - big money and big media - make the decision for them.
For me, that was the best demonstration of renewal I could have asked for... not that I have anything against "older" people!!!
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